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No mention of it as a requirement of the wiring regulations.
Building regs might be different, but since it's a rewire & not a new-build, I suspect it is merely a recommendation rather than an actual requirement.

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Yes, that is correct - put them where you like within common sense reasoning!

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As per your second question.
Joined-up DuffGov thinking changed this and suggested that consumer units in new builds be placed in a position such that it is accessible to someone reaching from a wheelchair. What they didn't think off was that this would also make the consumer unit accessible to the curious fingers of a small child, but hey, That's NuLabour Nanny for you!

Basically, fit it where the cover can easily be opened or removed for future upgrades/additional ccts/ repairs & testing. Don't box the damned thing in!

Ensure that it is not placed in the proximity of things like pipework which may leak onto it, or might make it difficult for someone from another trade to carry out any work which may be required.

Once again common sense is the route to follow. Don't listen to Nanny, use your noddle!

TT

I'd fit mains powered smoke alarms anyway if it's easy. The (backup)batteries seem to last longer.

Heat in the kitchen, smoke within 3m of every bedroom door and 7m of every habitable room.  (need to double check that).

I would install them for the cost of little bit of 3c+e cable and a few detectors.  The Aico Easyfits are compact, neat, easy to fit and surprisingly well priced.

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It's a confusing area!

a) It seems a good idea.

b) Rumour has it that any kitchen appliance engineer will refuse to work on an appliance which is not capable of being 'isolated'.

Now, whether you use a switched single socket and the appliance plug to isolate, or you use a socket which can be switched 'off' via a double pole 20A switch is a vague area. The regs just call for a satisfactory means of isolation.

c) from a technical point of view, a Ring final cct is protected by a 32A mcb. 2.5mm twin and earth is rated at around 30A when configured as such. Trouble is; the dp switch is only rated at 20A. Not only this, but 2.5 is only rated at around 21A when wired as a radial cct, or in this case a radial spur off a ring final. Now the load (appliance) most likely won't take 20A on the switched side of the switch, but the live side which is connected as part of the ring. Clarification has regularly been sought from people like MK as to what their dp grid switches are actually rated at, but not a single manufacturer has been forthcoming with this information.

In practise, you'll most likely have no problems, and it is a common method of switching and isolating under-worktop and built-in kitchen appliances, but for a definitive answer as to whether or not it fully complies with the regs, please let us know if you find one!

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Good practise and workmanship is that any electrical accessory serving as part of the fixed wiring in an installation means that the accessory should be affixed to part of the fabric of the building.

Now we can become all lawyer-like and argue the toss as to whether or not a fitted kitchen can ever be truly defined as part of the fixed fabric of the building.

For me, the fixed fabric bit starts at the finished plastered face of a wall period. Anything else doesn't count - but hey - that's just my view.

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Not sure if it's a specifically mentioned reg, but there is a reg which states that a cct should be designed in such a way that it does not pose a risk or inconvenience to the user, so I would say yes.

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Right, I get the impression that you are confusing earthing with bonding.

Earthing first.

We won't go into the technicalities of supply characteristics since you haven't given enough information.

So here's the form for a PME supply only.

Note: if the supply is TNS or TT, then the following cables sizes will comply generously!

The main earthing conductor shall not be less than half the size of the live conductor, so for 25mm L&N tails from the meter, you would choose a 16mm main earthing conductor.

The main equipotential bonding conductors to the main gas and water intakes should each be 10.00mm. The bonding connections to both gas and water should be made to the pipework within 600mm of where the main supply pipes enter the building and before any pipe branches.

Daisy chaining at the boiler. Sometimes needed, sometimes not needed, but a belt & braces approach.
This may happen if it is convenient to bond everything in one place.
A boiler usually has a gas supply and a water supply.
The boiler is usually a Class 1 appliance, so the (cpc) earth wire in the 3 core flex which supplies the boiler is also effectively a bonding conductor. the flow & return to the radiators can be bonded together here too. It doesn't do any harm, but make sure that the main 10mm equipotential bonding conductors, if present at the boiler pipework, are also present at the mains water and gas pipe intakes first.

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Up to 8KW, 6.00mm is usually fine, so long as it hasn't been run through loft insulation and the like. Above 8KW and you move to 10.00mm or even 16mm if the cable run is through loft insulation or any form of wall insulation.

The shower should be bonded to any exposed metalwork in the bathroom and to any other electrical accessories.
Yes, RCD protection is now required.


I haven't covered everything here because it's silly O:clock in the morning!

TT

TT has given excellent advice.

DD...you clearly sound as if you know what you're doing and are coming at this with the right mental outlook!

I myself went through virtually the same set of questions when I refurbished a cottage and rewired it myself.  If you do a search on my username then that might help you find some fleshing out of any answers 'cos we've been there already most like  

re bonding...I was able to gloriously raise two fingers since (a) I had no gas and (b) the incoming water pipe was plastic as was all the plumbing that I put into the house.

I did everything according to the book or as close as one could given the 'grey' areas ...which you've already touched on  eg kitchen carcasses.  When my first fix inspection came, the BC guy turned up and said 'I've come to look at your insulation'..gazing at the Kingspan in the roof.  'Oh no, you're not' says I 'it's a first-fix cabling inspection'.

A look of panic crossed his face. As we walked around and I bullshitted my way about safe areas and trench depths he said 'You know more than I do'...so go figure  

When it came to the final inspection, as I mentioned earlier, they did not send out an electrician. Their approach is to come out and have a look. If you've got a 17th edition CU then that gets a big tick...quote 'they make our job so much easier'....which is a bit concerning as you could have wired it in bellwire for all they knew.

The only time they send out an electrician is if they think you don't know what you're talking about. The electrician then does a report which goes to BC. BC then tell you what you need to fix.  At no time do you get to see the electricians' report and at no time will you get an electrical test certificate unless you pay for an electrician to do it.

As far as selling the house goes in the future, you might get an antsy buyer/buyers' solicitor who wants an electrical certificate. Your approach to that question is clearly up to you. In my case, bottom line was that the fact that the whole project was signed off by Building Control meant that I was covered.

NB that was for my local BC...yours' might be different. Have you spoken to them?

You have put in a Building Control notice already, haven't you?

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The electrician that did our kitchen said that there needed to be a way to isolate appliances reasonably easily. He said that either meant switches above the work top OR putting the appliance sockets in the back of an adjacent cupboard. The only thing he wouldn't allow was putting appliance sockets behind the appliance or another appliance.

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Personally I reckon electric showers suck. If you must have one I'd put in the most powerful one you can get provided your electric supply will hack it. The power rating of a shower in kW effectivly determins the flow rate rather than the temperature. The higher the power the more water you get out.